The Timberwolves were without two starters, as Nikola Pekovic is still nursing ankle bursitis and Kevin Martin broke his thumb on Friday.

The Rockets shot 47.6 percent from the floor and shot 11-of-27 from beyond the arc. Patrick Beverley buried four threes and James Harden, who was able to sit out the entire fourth quarter, hit three.

Kevin Love led Minnesota with 31 points and 10 rebounds, going 12-of-12 from the free-throw line. However, Love shot only 9-of-23 from the floor, misfiring on five of his six long range attempts.

Chase Budinger was the only other Wolves starter in double figures, scoring 15.

The Timberwolves shot a paltry 35.6 percent from the field and made only six of their 25 triple tries.

Houston built a 15-point lead in the third quarter only to see Minnesota rally by ending the period on a 14-3 run. However, it took the Timberwolves six-and-a-half minutes to score their first field goal of the fourth quarter, and by that time, the Rockets had already pushed the lead back up to double digits.

Minnesota has now lost four straight games and has dropped the first two of four meetings with Houston this season.